Lake Shore Plaza apartments, 445 E Ohio St, Streeterville

George Schipporeit, better known as the co-designer of Lake Point Tower, was the architect. Early in his career he worked in the office of Mies van der Rohe. The Miesian influence is evident at Lake Shore Plaza – except for the building’s parking podium. Mayfair Construction was the general contractor for the building.

The apartments

Floor plans and near real-time rent and availability information are accessible online. The building may have, on average, the lowest rents in the immediate area.

The apartments are carpeted and, in general, have not been upgraded to the same extent as those in nearby buildings.

The apartments have individual heating and air-conditioning units, and operating costs should be taken into consideration when comparing rents with competing apartments.

The building has a long-and-narrow configuration that results in functional floor plans with lots of windows and minimal loss of space to hallways. Closet space in most of the floor plans compares favorably with many of the newer apartment buildings. None of the units have balconies or in-unit washer / dryers. Ceiling heights, lower than today’s new buildings, are typical of the era in which Lake Shore Plaza was built.

Twenty percent of the units are subsidized affordable housing.

Views. South-facing units look out over the deck above the building’s garage. Park space is immediately beyond that, resulting in open views. Higher-floor units facing north have great views of the lake.

Amenities, services, policies

Lake Shore Plaza’s amenities include a fitness center, an expansive sundeck with an outdoor pool, a whirlpool and a grilling area, and a new business center. Reserved parking is available in the 275-space on-site garage.

Dining, nightlife, entertainment.
There are literally 100s of dining and nightlife options within blocks of Lake Shore Plaza, although the building doesn’t have as good proximity to them as some of its competitors.

Many of the local restaurants and night spots cater heavily to hotel guests, tourists and office workers, but you won’t have any trouble finding a go-back-to neighborhood favorite. Timothy O’Toole’s Pub, a block west of Lake Shore Plaza, gets mixed reviews but has its regulars and a large selection of beers on tap.

If you’re a bowling or movie buff, the lanes at Lucky Strike are two blocks away, upstairs from the 21-screen AMC River East mega-plex theater.

Parks, recreation. Lake Shore Plaza has excellent park access.

Directly south of Lake Shore Plaza is a pleasant park that’s actually the roof of a parking garage.

Lake Shore Park, which has a running track, softball fields, tennis courts, a playground and a small field house, is four short blocks north. The Museum of Contemporary Art is at the west end of the park and just west of the museum is the delightful, tree-shrouded Seneca Playlot Park.

Lake Shore Plaza has quick access to and from Lake Shore Drive. Reaching I-90/94 and the rest of the city’s expressway grid can often be time-consuming. Expect near-gridlock conditions when there’s a major event in the neighborhood.